Engine Coolant Jacket Separator for Thermal Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current engine cooling arrangements face challenges in reducing friction and knock at low loads while maintaining efficiency, as temperature control benefits are reduced, and fuel consumption increases at high loads due to knocking.
Innovation Solution
A coolant jacket separator is introduced in the engine block, separating the upper and lower portions of the block coolant jacket, allowing for independent coolant flow management via a pump and controller, enhancing thermal management and reducing friction and knock.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If cross reverse serial cooling is used to shift cooling flow direction, then temperature control is improved at high loads, but fuel consumption increases due to knocking
Solution Approach 1:
The block coolant jacket is divided into separate upper and lower portions using a separator, allowing independent coolant flow management. This segmentation enables the system to maintain optimal temperatures in different zones simultaneously, reducing knock at high loads while avoiding excessive cooling that would increase fuel consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the coolant jacket are given different thermal characteristics through the separator arrangement. The upper portion can be cooled differently from the lower portion, allowing localized temperature optimization that reduces knocking in specific areas without over-cooling the entire engine, thus improving fuel economy.
2Temperature
If cooling passages fluidly couple head jacket to block jacket, then temperature control is improved, but friction and knock reduction benefits are reduced at low loads
Solution Approach 1:
The separator allows the cooling system to dynamically adjust temperature distribution based on operating conditions. At low loads, the system can maintain warmer temperatures in the lower block portion to reduce friction, while still providing adequate cooling to prevent overheating, thereby reducing harmful factors without the need for aggressive cooling passages.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If separator is used to seal upper and lower portions of block coolant jacket, then friction and knock are reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The separator is a relatively simple component that divides the coolant jacket into two portions. By using a straightforward segmentation approach rather than complex active control systems, the invention reduces friction and knock through passive temperature management while adding minimal complexity to the overall cooling arrangement.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution improves fuel economy and efficiency by maintaining optimal temperatures across engine components, reducing friction and knock, and minimizing cylinder bore distortions.
Implementation Method 1
the separator seals an upper portion of the block coolant jacket from a lower portion of the block coolant jacket... a temperature of the lower portion may be higher than a temperature of the upper portion
Implementation Method 2
a pump configured to receive a plurality of inputs from various portions of the coolant circuit and expel coolant to a plurality of outputs
Implementation Method 3
one or more cooling passages fluidly coupling a head jacket portion to a block jacket portion in a cylinder bridge area
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems are provided for a cooling arrangement. In one example, a system comprises a separator arranged in a block coolant jacket. The separator fluidly separates an upper portion of the block coolant jacket from a lower portion of the block coolant jacket.